Traveling as a Woman

I travel… I travel to reach the geographies, cities, rivers and mountains I have dreamed of… Discovering the world is a never-ending journey, and I am a strange traveler on this journey… A strange female traveler…traveling as a woman“I wanted to write about the situation. What they have added to me, what needs to be taken care of, what I have in mind are all together...

WOMEN'S BAG

I travel with 50-60 liter backpacks. One of the most frequently asked questions to me is how can I travel with so few items 🙂 Of course, I learned to reduce my bag size and set out with less stuff. Space-saving clothes, taking the whole trip with one shoe, minimizing cosmetic needs, learning to leave unnecessary parts behind, and much more… I went on my first long trips with 4 pairs of shoes, a bag that fits her, and a dress that fits her. However, now a sandal and an outdoor boot are enough and even more… All the clothes in my bag are now on my travels; Clothes that take up little space, do not have ironing problems, and if possible, have more than one function. Also, after gaining the perspective that I will pick it up wherever I go at worst, preparing a bag has become a much easier task for me.

Get rid of your burdens, live simply and happily!

GIVING FROM LUXURIOUS

This simplification work I did for my travels has spread to my life over time; I started shopping much, much less, simplifying my life. One more beauty has been added to the beauty that travel has added to my life.
I learned to leave other luxuries behind in order to be able to travel. A woman's addiction to shoe shopping, coffee for 8 TL, money pouring into the meaningless expensive restaurants of Istanbul every weekend have all disappeared from my life. All these expenses have become unnecessary for me. My account is always; Those shoes cost 1 plane ticket, I started to look at all my expenses as if I would take a weekend break in Turkey instead of having a dinner there…

Live simple, travel more, be happier!

ROAD FRIEND

I took my backpack and hit the road sometimes alone, sometimes with a close friend, and sometimes with my lover. I had made my first international trip to Italy alone, I couldn't find a companion and I decided to go alone. But I could not blind myself and go, I was a beginner and went with a tour. On the second day, I left the tour and started to travel by myself. That day I realized that I don't need anyone to travel. I determine my own route, I determine my time. I'm asking if you would like to come to my limited number of friends that I enjoy traveling with. Whoever wants it comes, if no one wants it, I take my bag and go. And I'll admit I have a lot more fun on my solo travels.

You don't need anyone to travel! Don't wait, don't delay!

ARE YOU NOT AFRAID?

“Is it safe to travel as a solo woman? Aren't you afraid?" I seem to hear questions like: So far, I have traveled alone to Africa or South America. As long as you know yourself, take your precautions and don't give bad energy to your environment, everything is going well. The advantages of being a woman come into play here as well. Like empathy, strong intuition… Like the ability to quickly sense bad weather and turn it in our favor… Also, because you are a woman, everyone is more willing to help you. Again, an advantage for us is that we are not really alone. Since we can socialize easily, you can make many new friends on every trip.

Take advantage of being alone!

FUNNY EVENTS

When going to places preferred by men, especially by Turkish men, there is of course the "what is this girl doing here" look. Two girls went to Ukraine and we were the only “females” on the big plane. It would be a lie if I said I didn't say "oh my god" when I got on the plane 🙂 But then we managed to make fun of this situation. I'm glad I went to Ukraine. It is a very beautiful country, visa-free, close, and very cheap.

Wherever you go, leave your prejudices at home!

ADAPTATION TO THE CULTURE

Adapting to the beliefs and lifestyles of people wherever you go is very critical for your travel comfort. When I went to Iran, I had a little difficulty because I made a mistake and did not bring appropriate clothes, but I immediately tried to make up for my mistake by buying something from there. Being a deviant is not about appearance, on the contrary, if you visit the place you are traveling like a local rather than a tourist, you will be against it. Otherwise, we are no different from tourists.

Don't be a tourist, be a local!

INTRODUCING MY COUNTRY

One of the phrases I hear the most while traveling is “I see a Turkish woman on the road for the first time”. However, we are not that few anymore, but we are still very few. I tirelessly explain the beauties of Turkey and being a woman in Turkey. Unfortunately, many people think that there are security problems in Turkey and that it is very dangerous for women. Yes, unfortunately we have problems. However, people like us who travel the world have a responsibility to overcome these problems.

The people of this country, the women of this country deserve a better life, to be remembered well, and to have a good image. Don't give up hope!

Finally;
TRAVEL WITHOUT MALE AND FEMALE SEPARATION, GO ON THE ROAD, OPEN YOUR HORIZONS, PUSH YOUR LIMITS!